Japan has pledged $2.2 million to support the UN World Food Programme’s (WFP) malnutrition response in South Sudan, where severe funding shortages threaten to halt critical assistance to millions facing hunger.
According to WFP, 7.8 million people in South Sudan face high levels of acute food insecurity, while 2.2 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, a crisis compounded by conflict, climate shocks, and incoming flows of displaced people fleeing war in neighboring Sudan.
WFP Country Representative Mutinta Chimuka warned that hundreds of thousands of vulnerable individuals could lose life-saving aid within weeks without immediate support.
“By the end of September, we will not be able to provide assistance to 650,000 refugees living within South Sudan and close to 200,000 internally displaced people,” Chimuka said.
He said to maintain operations; WFP requires $280 million over the next six months alongside an additional $86 million through the end of 2026.
Beyond severe financial shortfalls, delivery operations remain highly dangerous; 36 humanitarian workers have been killed in the country this year.
“All of us who work in this field are risking our lives as we deliver food,” Chimuka said, emphasizing the vital need for unhindered access.
Meanwhile, in response to the looming shortfall, the South Sudanese government confirmed efforts to help bridge the funding gap for displaced populations.
“As a government, we have the responsibility to care for our nationals, especially the IDPs and the returnees,” Humanitarian Affairs Undersecretary William Chan Achuil said.
While emergency food assistance remains critical, both WFP and government leaders stressed that long-term agricultural investment and stability across the country are essential to building lasting community self-reliance.